19 february 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2652: a date

Image by Squirrel_photos from Pixabay

Mrs. Thalia Ludlow got a big package in the mail from California; she and her husband, Capt. R.E. Ludlow, knew what it was, but it was going to be an experience for their seven little grandchildren and some of their friends next door.

The way Mrs. Ludlow liked to set up new food for the children who were their neighbors was generally to put out cups of it – at least eleven, accounting for grandchildren Lil' Robert (5), Grayson (6), Amanda (7), Edwina (8), George (9), Andrew (10) and Eleanor (11), but also their friends next door: Gracie (8), Milton (9), and Velma Trent (11), along with their cousin Vertran Stepforth (9). But Mrs. Ludlow also knew that the “bigger kids” were curious and also put out cups for the Trent big siblings Melvin (21), and Vanna (17) along with Vertran's big brother Tom (16). That made 14 cups of fruit, and on this day, it was dates from a cousin who had a big beautiful date orchard in southern California.

It was fun to watch the different little personalities as they encountered new things …

“They look like overgrown raisins,” ten-year-old Andrew as he picked up a cup. “What are these, Grandma, and thank you?”

“What they are is real good,” Edwina said as she tried a date.

“Oh, I gotta go get Gracie and her siblings and cousin!” Amanda said. “These are like caramel brownies, but God made them!”

“Yeah, they are like fruity caramel, and God of course knows better than to put salt all over perfection,” Eleanor said as she tried one.

“Caramel – where?” Lil' Robert said as he came running, and big sister Eleanor handed him his cup.

“Thank you for doing that blueprint first,” George came telling his little brother Grayson, “because I may need you to build my law firm in days not weeks with this food poisoning thing going on – hey, what are these?”

“It's God's caramel,” Eleanor said.

“Oh yeah, we'll get back to building afterward!” George said and handed Grayson his cup before grabbing his own.

“Be careful,” Andrew said as he came out of the house. “They have a seed in the middle – Grandma says dates are better if the seed is left in, and so just work your way around.”

“Oh yeah, these are dates all right,” Gracie said as she arrived with Amanda along with Milton, Velma, and Vertran. “Pop-Pop gets them shipped in from Algeria sometimes, but California has great dates, too.”

“They look like big medjool dates – the best!” Milton said.

“Yep, definitely medjool,” Velma said. “The shape is unique – but there ain't nothing wrong with a barhi or deglet date either if you get those!”

“Get me all the dates!” Lil' Robert said. “I just need more!”

“You might want to eat the ones you have first, Rob,” Eleanor said gently. “And besides, I'm sure Grandma has plenty and I've heard Papa say that he never had trouble getting dates, so, I'm sure you won't either.”

“Not with the Robert Edward Ludlowness also vested in me!” he said. “I still gotta grow into his vest, but, see – next week, though!”

Grayson, the quietest of the Ludlow grandchildren, had nothing to say while eating with his fellow children, but eventually, his grandparents, working together on dinner while the Stepforth grandparents watched the yard, turned around to find him beaming up at them.

“I see why y'all got married,” he said, “because you went on dates, and dates are nice. Thank you for sharing the love.”

“You're welcome, Grayson,” they said in tandem, and hugged and kissed him before he went back outside to play.

“He's more right than he is wrong,” Mrs. Ludlow said.

“Grayson often is,” Capt. Ludlow said as his eyes kindled. “He knows instinctively what I did, the instant I laid eyes on a sweet import from California and made up my mind that I was going to get those dates!”

“Now, Robert, you can't let these kids' misunderstandings get you confused on your English,” Mrs. Ludlow teased as she backed up, thus stoking the fire in her husband's eyes up even more.

“You saw Lil' Robert just going after what he found good in those dates, talking about, 'I just need more' – exactly! We shall cook dinner, but later, Thalia – I just need more!”

“OK – here you go, that's about five potatoes for you to peel … .”

“Woman, did you just put me on kitchen patrol?”

“Yes, sir, Captain, because the Ludlow army runs on its stomach!”

“I'll peel the potatoes for now, my lady,” he growl-purred, “but just know: I am coming for my dessert, later on!”